To say that 2025 didn't go how the Atlanta Braves and their fans expected is an understatement. The team dug itself an early hole by starting out 0-7, and struggled to gain its footing in the early going. Seeing the club's prime offseason acquisition, Jurickson Profar, get hit with a PED suspension added further insult to the nightmare.
Atlanta would rally, going 14-11 in April, but key cogs began dropping like flies after being hit by the injury bug. It didn't matter if it was in the lineup or the starting rotation; several prominent Braves like Chris Sale, Austin Riley, Spencer Scwellenbach, and Ronald Acuña Jr., among many more, missed significant time.
If it's any consolation, the battered Braves rallied in August and September, despite missing so many stars, to post a 30-24 record over the season's final two months, but by that point, it was too little too late. That feisty performance, even when all hope was lost, should provide some optimism for 2026, and Atlanta has been named the top breakout team for 2026 thanks to its overall talent level.
ESPN names the Braves the top breakout team for 2026, but injuries could again derail their return to prominence
By ESPN's logic, the Braves' baseline wins expectation is 80, though the true target with everyone back and healthy has them forecasted to win 90 games, which led them to the top of these rankings.
That should tell you all you need to know about Atlanta in 2026. Acuña Jr. was on an MVP pace when healthy with a .290/.417/.518 line and 21 homers in just 95 games. Chris Sale and 2.58 ERA weren't far off from the performance that won him the 2024 NL CY Young, but unfortunately, he could only manage 125.2 innings before succumbing to injury.
Up and down the lineup, rotation, and bullpen, there are stars, key supporting characters, and some decent depth. There are also promising young players like Drake Baldwin and Hurston Waldrep waiting to fully break out.
All of that bodes well, but a team can only withstand so many injuries. Acuña Jr. has been hurt somewhat regularly over his career. Austin Riley has battled two injury-plagued seasons. The same holds true for both Spencers in the rotation. The list goes on.
Things are already off to an inauspicious start. Ha-Seong Kim was a gift Atlanta snagged off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays and was a priority re-sign this offseason. He's also the club's first injury casualty of 2026, and the ground hasn't even thawed yet. If that's a sign of things to come, the Braves are in big trouble.